LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. – Coming off an impressive victory in the SCAC championship match, Colorado College was rewarded with three of the league's four major awards in exclusive 2013 all-conference voting by the conference's head men's lacrosse coaches. Steve Rijo and Chase Murphy were selected the SCAC Offensive and Defensive Players-of-the-Year, respectively, while CC head coach Sean Woods was named SCAC Coach-of-the-Year. Complete Release
In the same balloting, Austin Fox of Southwestern University was tabbed as the SCAC Newcomer-of-the-Year.
Steve Rijo, a senior attacker from Basking Ridge, N.J., finished third in the SCAC in goals scored (25), tied for fourth in assists (15) and tied for third in points (40) in leading the Tigers to a perfect 5-0 conference mark during the regular season. He had a career-high seven goals in CC's 12-4 victory over Southwestern on April 16 – a victory that clinched the program's fourth consecutive regular-season championship and a 24-0 record all-time in conference games. A three-time All-SCAC performer, Rijo enters Saturday's regular-season finale against Whittier College with 102 career points (63 goals and 39 assists).
Chase Murphy, a first-year goalkeeper from Cohasset, Mass., led the league in goals against average (6.09) – the third-lowest single-season total in conference history. He was second in saves (131) and his save percentage of .630 is the highest for a single season in SCAC history. In the Tigers' 24-2 victory over Southwestern in the SCAC championship game, Murphy stopped eight of 10 shots on goal before exiting 3:13 into the fourth quarter. In the four-year history of the award, he is the first freshman to be selected as SCAC Defensive Player-of-the-Year.
Austin Fox, a sophomore attacker from Round Rock, Texas, finished the season ranked second in the conference in goals scored (27), shots (82) and points (42) – only behind his teammate Jamie Long – and tied for fourth in assists (15) in just 13 games as he sat out the final three games due to injury. The transfer from Hartwick College had a season-high five goals on 12 shots in the March 1 victory (22-2) over Centenary College.
Colorado College head coach Sean Woods guided his Tigers to a 5-0 conference mark, a 12-4 overall record (with one game remaining in the regular season) and the SCAC tournament title with a convincing 24-2 victory over Southwestern on Saturday. In his first two seasons at CC, Woods has compiled an overall mark of 24-7, including a perfect 14-0 mark in league play. Prior to coming to Colorado College, Woods served as the head men's lacrosse coach at Mars Hill College in North Carolina for five years where he posted an overall record of 51-24. His teams won three Deep South Conference championships (2009, 2010 and 2011), and he was named conference Coach-of-the-Year for three years (2007, 2009 and 2010).
To view the entire 2013 All-SCAC Men's Lacrosse teams, click here.
